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No Child Left Behind
Many of you probably have been reading about the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) since it was signed into law on January 8, 2002.
The intent of the Act is to improve student achievenment across the nation, particularly the achievenment of low-performing students from low-income families.
At Terrell Middle School, we take much pride in the educational opportunities we are able to provide for our children. Our teachers and staff members work veryhard to meet the needs of all students.
We know that students are learning and making good progress, and we consider this to be our single most important indicator of success. Several different assessments of student achievement have shown us that our students are making significant gains.
In spite of the progress made by most of our students, Terrell Middle High School has been included on a list of more thatn half the schools in Georgia identified as having not made "Adequate Yearly Progress."
Even with the school's overall success, we continue to have some students who have not met Georgia's educational standards on the eighth grade CRT and the GHSGT in the areas of math and reading/language arts, thereby resulting in the school being identified as
"Needs Improvement" under the NCLB. As a result, we are developing a plan for improvement that will focus on the academic achievement of all students, but in accordance with the NCLB, we will also address the needs of low-performing students and help them attain proficiency in meeting the state academic standards.
One of the most highly publicized provisions of the NCLB is that students who are in "Needs Improvement" schools may apply for transfer to another school in the district that is not designated as in need of school improvement.
Since Terrell Middle High School is in a System that serves students in grades six through twelve, there is no other school to which your student may transfer.
However, students will have opportunities for supplementary educational services, including tutoring, provided as part of the Title I program in an effort to increase the number of students achieving at or above state standards.
Under the NCLB legislation and the accompanying regulations, supplemental educational services providers must be approved by the Georgia State Board of Education. As of this time, the list issued by the Georgia Department of Education and available website,
contains the names of no providers specifically approved for Terrell County School System. However, a list of those providers that have been approved for our geographic area and providers approved statewide to offer services via distance learning may be reveiwed.
If you are interested in more information as to the provision of supplemental educational services, please contact Shirley Jones at 229-995-4096.
Terrell Middle High School is offering an after school tutorial program which begins September 19, 2005 and ends April 2006. Students will also have opportunities to attend Saturday classes beginning October 2005.
The Saturday Academy will offer an intensive but flexble program. It will be offered in a modular format. The program will offer a high-energy, fun-filled process of self-discovery by using small group interaction, shared personal experiences, individual and group interaction, higher education experience and exposure.
Each Saturday, students will move through areas critical to increasing self-awareness, changing attitiudes, and improving relationships for success. Field trips have been planned to support the goals of the Saturday Academy.
Please call Mr. Bell at 229-995-2544 to register high school students and Mrs. Burke at 229-995-2828 to register middle school students. Transportation and lunch will be provided for participants during field trips.
Students cannot ride school provided transportation on field trips unless the parent signs the permission form.
As parents, there are some things you can do to strengthen the academic achievement of your children. The following is a list of things we believe will support our schools as we strive to improve the educational performance of all our students:
Hold high expectations for your child
Support the school in its efforts to maintain proper discipline
Instill in your child a postive attitude toward school
Make sure that your child attends school regualarly, arrives on time and has appropriate supplies
Communicate regularly with the teachers of our child
In Terrell County School System, we are committed to continually seeking to improve instructions for our students. We hope that as a parent,
you will become involved in our school improvement initiatives as we continue to monitor student achievement and set high expectations. We encourage you to get to know your child's teacher and the class routines and expectations.
We are proud of the professional credentials of our teaching staff and will furnish to you, upon request, the professional qualifications of any of your students' classroom teachers.
You may contact the principal at 995-2544 if you have questions or circumstances that may require additional consideration.
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